Rewriting Stress – 5 Surprising Tools That Help You Feel Better, Think Clearer and Regain Control
- Brainz Magazine
- Nov 6
- 5 min read
Updated: Nov 8
Emma G is an award-winning singer/songwriter, 2x TEDx speaker, and empowerment coach specializing in trauma-aware voicework, mental health advocacy, and music-led healing. She is the author of "Mental Health Sounds Like This" and founder of Emma G Music LLC.
In a world that seems to constantly pull us in a million directions, stress is a universal experience, whether you’re a parent juggling family life, a teenager finding your place in the world, an executive trying to lead and manage a team or a business, or even a journalist working in the middle of a hostile environment.
But the solution doesn’t always start with complicated therapy, expensive retreats, or endless scrolling for relief (who does that really help?). Sometimes, it starts with a breath, or even a song.
Let me explain.
As a singer, coach, and mental health advocate, I’ve seen firsthand how music-based practices can become powerful, accessible tools for emotional regulation and well-being, and today, I’d like to explore with you five simple but transformative tools, from frequencies to affirmations, that you can integrate into your daily life to reduce stress, reclaim clarity, and empower your nervous system to reset.
Whether you're in crisis or simply seeking more peace, these strategies will meet you where you are and help you feel more like yourself again.
1. Harness the power of frequency
Sound healing isn’t just spiritual, it’s scientific. Certain music frequencies, like those in the Solfeggio scale, have measurable effects on the nervous system. Studies show that listening to music tuned to 528 Hz (often called the “love frequency”) can lower cortisol and reduce stress more effectively than standard 440 Hz tuning. Similarly, 432 Hz has been linked to lower anxiety, blood pressure, and heart rate, while 396 Hz supports emotional release by easing feelings of guilt and fear. Lower tones like 174 Hz and 285 Hz are used to promote relaxation and physical restoration, and research into 40 Hz vibration therapy suggests it may also enhance brain function and memory.
These aren’t just abstract ideas, they tap directly into the vagus nerve, a major component of the parasympathetic nervous system. Practices like humming, chanting, or singing at lower frequencies can activate this nerve, helping the body shift from stress to calm.
Whether you’re passively listening or actively creating, music tuned to these frequencies can lower cortisol, reduce anxiety, and restore balance. For songwriters or vocalists, weaving these tones into original music turns creation itself into an act of emotional alchemy, transmuting chaos into calm.
Try this. Search for “528Hz music” or “432Hz frequency” on YouTube or Spotify and play it during your morning routine, journaling, or wind-down time.
2. Use your breath as a musical reset
Singers know this well, your breath is your anchor. In moments of overwhelm, how you breathe can determine how you feel, think, and react. That’s why breathwork techniques like box breathing, 4-7-8 breathing (inhale for four counts, hold for seven, and exhale for eight), or diaphragmatic (belly) breathing are commonly used by first responders, elite performers, and trauma therapists alike.
When paired with singing, the benefits are amplified. Breath becomes rhythm, expression, and release all at once. Singing not only slows your exhale but also engages your parasympathetic nervous system, which reduces stress and enhances resilience.
Try this. Hum your favorite song slowly, focusing on exhaling fully through each phrase. Notice how your shoulders drop and your thoughts soften.
3. Improve posture, improve mood
I talk about this a lot with my vocal clients. When we feel nervous, our bodies tend to automatically tense. But if our emotions inform our bodies, it’s logical to assume that our bodies can also tell our brains how to feel. Poor posture (slumped shoulders, collapsed chest) signals defeat or stress to your nervous system. On the other hand, standing tall can increase feelings of confidence, presence, and calm.
For singers, posture isn’t optional, it’s foundational. I teach a system called SHIRT FAN (Shoulders back and relaxed, High chest, In chin, Relaxed knees, Tummy breathing, Feet shoulder width apart, and Neck long), which promotes both vocal health and emotional balance. But even if you’re not a performer, simply assuming a “superhero stance” for two minutes can lower cortisol and boost confidence.[1]
Try this. Next time you feel stressed, stand up, take a deep breath, plant your feet firmly, and lift your chest. Own your space. Then sing.
4. Use mantras and “I am” statements to rewire the mind
The words we speak, especially to ourselves, carry weight. In high-stress moments, we often default to disempowering self-talk (“I can’t handle this,” “I’m failing,” “I’m not enough”). But music gives us a unique opportunity to flip the script.
Mantras and “I am” statements (like “I am grounded,” “I am powerful,” or “I am safe”) can be spoken, written, or sung to interrupt negative thinking and build new neural pathways. Think of Sia’s “Unstoppable” or Prince’s “Baby I’m a Star.” The songs we listen to can absolutely impact how we think and feel. But when we, especially teens, can write these statements into lyrics, we can turn our internal dialogue into personal anthems. The result is a new soundtrack that supports growth, healing, and resilience.
Try this. Choose one empowering phrase and repeat it out loud, or to a melody, several times throughout your day. Let it become your anthem of positivity.
5. Let laughter be your recalibration tool
Yes, laughter counts as somatic healing. It stimulates your diaphragm, releases endorphins, and reduces tension, physiologically shifting your state in under a minute. That’s why I often begin sessions with teens, performers, and even burned-out professionals with a simple tool, intentional laughter.
Just 30 seconds of laughter, real or fake, can disrupt stress cycles and open space for creative clarity and emotional reset. It’s an underused, accessible, and wildly effective tool that can be used anytime.
Try this. Set a timer for 30 seconds and laugh, even if it feels forced. Bonus points if you do it with someone else, laughter is contagious and will no doubt turn into legitimate fits of laughter.
Stress is real, but so is your power
We all feel it. Stress is a universal human experience. But there are a multitude of music-based strategies that give us tools to move through it, not with avoidance or overthinking, but with presence, creativity, and joy.
So again, whether you're a teen navigating social pressure, a parent juggling the mental load, a frontline worker, or someone simply trying to stay grounded, these are just five tools that might work for you.
And if you’re looking to go deeper, whether through songwriting, vocal coaching, or empowerment work, I’d love to hop on a call with you to discuss how music practices can help you navigate your stress more effectively. You have the power to rewrite your story and regulate your nervous system, one breath, one beat, one lyric at a time. Click here to book a discovery call with me. I look forward to speaking with you soon.
Want to explore more?
Check out my best-selling book, Mental Health Sounds Like This, for a deeper dive into how music can be a tool for healing, resilience, and transformation.
Read more from Emma G
Emma G is an award-winning singer/songwriter, 2x TEDx speaker, and empowerment coach who helps teens and adults transform pain into power through trauma-informed voice work and songwriting. After surviving 10 brain surgeries due to hydrocephalus, she discovered the healing potential of music and self-expression.
Her book and album, Mental Health Sounds Like This, offer a neuroscience-backed, culturally grounded approach to emotional wellness. She’s the founder of Emma G Music LLC and has been featured by FOX, WUSA9, The Washington Post, CBS, CBC, and more. Her mission? To save the world, one song at a time.
References:
[1] Cuddy et al., 2012
